Gossamer spider

Gossamer spider
Gossamer Gos"sa*mer, n. [OE. gossomer, gossummer, gosesomer, perh. for goose summer, from its downy appearance, or perh. for God's summer, cf. G. mariengarr gossamer, properly Mary's yarn, in allusion to the Virgin Mary. Perhaps the E. word alluded to a legend that the gossamer was the remnant of the Virgin Mary's winding sheet, which dropped from her when she was taken up to heaven. For the use of summer in the sense of film or threads, cf. G. M["a]dchensommer, Altweibersommer, fliegender Sommer, all meaning, gossamer.] [1913 Webster] 1. A fine, filmy substance, like cobwebs, floating in the air, in calm, clear weather, especially in autumn. It is seen in stubble fields and on furze or low bushes, and is formed by small spiders. [1913 Webster]

2. Any very thin gauzelike fabric; also, a thin waterproof stuff. [1913 Webster]

3. An outer garment, made of waterproof gossamer. [1913 Webster]

{Gossamer spider} (Zo["o]l.), any small or young spider which spins webs by which to sail in the air. See {Ballooning spider}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • gossamer spider — noun : a ballooning spider * * * gossamer spider, a small spider that weaves very slender threads often seen floating in the air …   Useful english dictionary

  • Gossamer — Gos sa*mer, n. [OE. gossomer, gossummer, gosesomer, perh. for goose summer, from its downy appearance, or perh. for God s summer, cf. G. mariengarr gossamer, properly Mary s yarn, in allusion to the Virgin Mary. Perhaps the E. word alluded to a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gossamer — can be: * Common name for spider silk * A very light, sheer, gauze like fabric, see textile manufacturing terminology * Gossamer A novel by Lois Lowry * Gossamer, a 1995 short story by Stephen Baxter, found in his collection Vacuum Diagrams, and… …   Wikipedia

  • Spider silk — Spider silk, also known as gossamer, is a protein fiber spun by spiders. Spiders use their silk to make webs or other structures, which function as nets to catch other creatures, or as nests or cocoons for protection for their offspring. They can …   Wikipedia

  • gossamer — (n.) c.1300, spider threads spun in fields of stubble in late fall, apparently from gos goose + sumer summer (Cf. Swed. sommertrad summer thread ). The reference might be to a fancied resemblance of the silk to goose down, or because geese are in …   Etymology dictionary

  • gossamer — n. Floating spider s web, filmy cobweb …   New dictionary of synonyms

  • War of the Spider Queen —   …   Wikipedia

  • A Noiseless Patient Spider — By Walt Whitman Overview Whitman’s poem, “A Noiseless Patient Spider” is a series of observations made by the speaker relating to a spider and his actions, whether figurative or literal. Through the observations of the spider the speaker relates… …   Wikipedia

  • Web of trust — For the internet security website, see WOT: Web of Trust. In cryptography, a web of trust is a concept used in PGP, GnuPG, and other OpenPGP compatible systems to establish the authenticity of the binding between a public key and its owner. Its… …   Wikipedia

  • Thawte — Тип Публичные цифровые сертификаты Расположение …   Википедия

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”